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2019 Polls: Army’s Interference Worst In History -Wike

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The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has declared that the negative roles played by the Nigerian Army during the 2019 general election was the worst in the history of the country, saying that the Nigerian Army’s political interference in the state was the most unfortunate infraction in the nation’s democratic experience.
Wike formally requested for the redeployment of the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Jamil Sarham for deliberately subverting the general election in Rivers State.
The governor spoke, last Friday, when he granted audience to the Nigerian Army Committee on Electoral Violence during the 2019 polls at the Government House, Port Harcourt.
He said: “Throughout my experience politically, I have never seen the Nigerian Army play the kind of role they played during the last general election.
“The Nigerian Army purely made political interference all through. We will show you the visuals of the roles played by the Nigerian Army. If you go to the 6 Division, unless they have moved them out, you will see ballot boxes and electoral materials. The 6 Division served as the take off base for the electoral interference.
“We formally request that appropriate sanctions be meted out to the GOC of the 6 Division. It has never happened that the Army Division becomes the operational base of a political party. This GOC became actively involved in politics. He has his own government in Rivers State. He has no respect for civil authority.
“We seek the immediate redeployment of the GOC, Major General Jamil Sarham. He cannot fight crime. Leaving the GOC here will be creating more crisis. He is here to fight crime and not to play politics. If soldiers fight crime, the way they intervened in last election, there will be no kidnapper anywhere”.
He said that elections took place across Rivers State in the polling units, adding that aside Abua/Odual Local Government Area, Rivers people voted.
The governor regretted that the challenge came during the collation, when operatives of the Nigerian Army invaded collation centres to cart away Form EC8C for the Governorship Election and Form EC8B1 for the House of Assembly elections.
“Elections took place in Rivers State at the polling units. The only LGA where elections did not hold was in Abua/Odual.
“It was during the collation that operatives of the Nigerian Army interfered. They will invade a collation centre, arrest the electoral officer, returning officer and mercilessly beat up the PDP agents. They carted away Form EC8C for the Governorship election and Form EC8B for the House of Assembly elections”, Wike told the Army Investigative Committee.
Wike took time to enumerate the areas where the Nigerian Army unleashed violence and deaths on Rivers people, and also listed the names of Army personnel who led the operations.
The governor regretted that the Nigerian Army was relegated beyond comprehension as the GOC took orders from the Minister of Transportation on the deployment of soldiers to opposition leaders in the state.
He noted that the situation became so bad that the Minister of Transportation had more than a platoon of soldiers attached to him each time he visited Rivers State to carry out his anti-democratic activities.
The governor stated that soldiers indiscriminately arrested and detained over 200 PDP leaders, agents and supporters at Bori Camp before, during and after the 2019 Governorship and State Assembly elections.
He said as a sitting governor, he has no soldiers attached to him, but ordinary opposition leaders have several soldiers attached to them for illegal activities during the elections.
Wike said the committee should ensure that it unravels all the illegal actions taken by the Nigerian Army during the elections.
He particularly decried the invasion of the home of the Rivers State Education Commissioner, Dr Tamunosis Gogo-Jaja, the harassment of his family and his subsequent arrest.
Wike informed the committee that in one of the post-election briefings at Bori Camp, the GOC wondered why the soldiers failed to kill him.
Also speaking, Rivers State Education Commissioner, Dr Tamunosisi Gogo-Jaja outlined the trauma he faced alongside his family during the invasion of his home by the Nigerian Army.
He explained how he was interrogated by the GOC at the 6 Division after his arrest.
The commissioner shocked the committee when he explained that upon his release, he was driven home by the Rivers State Commander of Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SARS), ACP Akin Fakorede.
In his response, the Chairman of the Nigerian Army Investigative committee on Electoral Violence, Major General Ayibakuro Gagariga, said the committee was established by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen Tukur Buratai, to investigate allegations of misconduct against the Nigerian Army.
He noted that the committee would look into cases of alleged interference by the Nigerian Army during the General Election in Rivers State.
“There was the killing of Lt Gumi in Abonnema. Others were also killed during the elections in Rivers State. There is also the allegation on the attempt to assassinate the Rivers State governor”, he said.
Highpoint of the meeting was the visual presentation of all the locations of Army invasion to the committee members.
The governor also presented a pictorial overview of the interference of the Nigerian Army in the electoral process in the state.

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Rivers DPOs Receive Awards For Outstanding Performance In Crime Prevention …As Students, Media Group Honour CSP Worgu, CSP Yusuf

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Two Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) in Rivers State have been honoured by separate groups for their contributions to security, crime prevention and improved community-police relations in their respective areas of responsibility.

The beneficiaries are the DPO of Afam Police Division, CSP  Endurance Worgu and his counterpart at Oyigbo Police Division, CSP Bello Yusuf.

CSP Worgu was honoured by a group of students under the aegis of Rivers State Graduate Students Associations for what they described as his commitment and outstanding performance in the discharge of his duties.

The students, led by  Chidi John Enyie, Esq. said CSP Worgu was selected based on his track record and status as one of the longest-serving young DPOs of Rivers State origin.

According to the group, CSP Worgu has made significant contributions to the protection of lives and property in the area since assuming office following the #EndSARS period.

The students said they were particularly impressed by the improvement in community-police relations under his leadership, noting that professionalism had remained a key feature of his service.

Enyie represented by Comrade Briggs Soku, said the students community was pleased to identify with a Rivers indigene who had distinguished himself in the police force.

He said the students considered it necessary to encourage and celebrate CSP Worgu because of his achievements as a young Rivers man excelling in a profession that many people from the state were often reluctant to join.

Receiving the award at his office in Afam, CSP Worgu expressed gratitude to God and the students for finding him worthy of the honour.

The DPO said the recognition had boosted his morale and encouraged him to sustain his efforts towards maintaining peace and security in the area.

He said he least expected the honour, particularly because it came from the students, adding that the recognition would further motivate him to serve the people better.

CSP Worgu assured residents of Afam that the police would sustain the existing peace in the area.

He appealed to members of the public to support the police by providing credible and timely information, stressing that useful information from residents would make the job of security personnel easier.

Meanwhile, the Ikwerre/Etche Media Association has also honoured the DPO of Oyigbo Police Division, CSP Bello Yusuf, for his efforts in tackling criminal activities in the area.

The media group presented the award following the swift tracking and arrest of five suspected kidnappers who had allegedly terrorised residents of the Kom-Kom axis and other parts of Oyigbo.

The group commended CSP Bello for what it described as his determined efforts to restore confidence and security in the affected communities, particularly Kom-Kom and Obeama.

According to the group, the arrest of the suspects demonstrated the DPO’s commitment to tackling criminality and safeguarding residents.

The media association said residents had received the development with relief, noting that the police action had sent a strong message to criminal elements operating in the area.

Responding, CSP Yusuf appreciated the group for the recognition and reaffirmed that there would be no room for criminality in Oyigbo.

He also commended the media for its role in disseminating credible information to the public, saying the media had remained supportive of the police in the fight against crime.

CSP Yusuf warned criminal elements operating in Oyigbo to leave the area or be prepared to face the full weight of the law.

He assured residents that the police would continue to pursue criminals and work to dismantle their hideouts, regardless of where they might be operating.

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College Of Bishops Endorses Tinubu, APC Candidates  For 2027 Polls

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The 5000 Achievers Christian Forum and Colleges of Bishops, Archbishops and Apostles, a Christian interdenominational organisation, has endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and all candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State for the 2027 general elections.

International President of the forum, Archbishop Lucky Aroh, disclosed this during the ordination and consecration of three new Bishops, as well as an award ceremony held in Port Harcourt.

Aroh said the performance of the APC-led Federal Government had endeared the party to the organisation, prompting the forum to declare its support for President Tinubu and other APC candidates in Rivers State.

He said the forum would support all APC candidates in the state during the 2027 elections and urged Nigerians to vote for the party.

Aroh, who is also the General Overseer of Caring Peoples Church, Port Harcourt, charged the newly consecrated Bishops to see their new positions as a great responsibility and dedicate themselves to the advancement of the kingdom of God.

He cautioned them against conduct capable of bringing their offices into disrepute, stressing that their activities would be closely watched by members of the public.

“As Bishops, the eyes of the public are on your activities. You must therefore conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of your calling,” he said.

Also speaking, the International Coordinator of the forum, Bishop Saint Robinson, urged the newly consecrated Bishops to work diligently towards winning souls for the kingdom of God.

Robinson, who was the guest speaker at the event, stressed that the activities of Bishops must at all times be guided by godly principles.

He also called on members of the church to support and cooperate with the newly consecrated Bishops in the discharge of their responsibilities.

The Secretary of the College, Apostle Elizabeth Ayadi Abaye, said the organisation was established to advance the kingdom of God and promote spiritual development.

According to her, the forum has organised several crusades, conferences, prayer meetings, ordinations, consecrations, enthronements, empowerment programmes and other spiritual development activities across the country as part of efforts to win souls for Christ.

Abaye said the organisation has members across the world and disclosed that more programmes had been scheduled to promote the spiritual development and wellbeing of humanity.

The three Bishops consecrated at the ceremony were Prince Alban Chike, Testimony Omenihu Shedrach and Prince Ifemena.

Among those honoured at the event were the Chairman of the Community Development Committee (CDC), Abali Community, Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, Manuchimso Prince Lemmy Wopara, and Clifford Oko Jaja, Coordinator of the 5,000 House-to-House for President Tinubu.

By: John Bibor

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Police Arrest Fake Soldier, Others For Armed Robbery, Kidnapping

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The Rivers State Police Command has arrested a 49-year-old suspected fake soldier, Andrew Atausi, and several other suspects in connection with various criminal activities, including kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, one-chance robbery and the alleged murder of police officers.

The State Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju, disclosed this in Port Harcourt, recently during a press briefing at the Command Headquarters, where he said the arrests formed part of the operational achievements recorded by the Command between June and August 2026.

Adepoju said Atausi was arrested on August 10 by police operatives along Ada George, Port Harcourt, while dressed in military uniform and driving a Toyota Hilux painted in Army colours.

The Commissioner said investigation revealed that Atausi was not a member of the Armed Forces, adding that he was suspected to be a serial car snatcher, with three suspected stolen vehicles recovered from him.

He said the recovered vehicles included three Toyota Hilux vehicles without registration numbers and a Toyota Corona Premio with registration number BNY 380 ES, noting that the chassis and engine numbers of the vehicles had allegedly been tampered with.

Adepoju added that an axe and military accoutrements were also recovered from Atausi, as investigation continued into the circumstances surrounding the vehicles and other items recovered from him.

On the June 29 attack on police officers at Aluu Division, the Commissioner said three members of the gang allegedly responsible for the incident had been arrested by operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit, VCRU-AKU.

The suspects, identified as Maduabuchi Emeka, 34, alleged gang leader; Doctor Chinedu Owhor, 42, and Kamachi Joe, 28, alleged armourer, reportedly led operatives to their hideout at Omagwa where two AK-47 rifles stolen during the attack were recovered.

Adepoju recalled that two police officers were killed during the Aluu attack, while others were wounded and one officer had his leg amputated, stressing that efforts were ongoing to apprehend the fourth suspect.

On kidnapping, the Commissioner said five members of a suspected kidnapping syndicate were arrested in Oyigbo Local Government Area, adding that they allegedly confessed to operations in Kom-Kom, Railway, Obeama and Afam communities.

He said two other suspects from the same network, Anele Ogbogu, 35, alleged to be the gang’s armourer, and Kenneth Eke, 38, were arrested on July 27, with one AK-47 rifle and one SMG rifle recovered.

The Commissioner further disclosed the arrest of suspects in connection with alleged firearm offences, armed robbery, cultism and one-chance robbery, with firearms, ammunition and other exhibits recovered during the operations.

Adepoju assured residents that the Command would sustain intelligence-led, proactive and community-oriented policing in collaboration with other security agencies, while urging members of the public to continue providing credible information that would assist the police in combating crime across Rivers State.

By; King Onunwor

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